National Park Service Oral History

Bill Wade: Protecting Shenandoah Resources

In this episode, Bill Wade describes how he had to bend the rules to safeguard resources when he was superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in the 1980s. The result?

Meg Weesner on Community and Natural Resources

In the 1980s Meg Weesner was among a pioneer generation of women to move into Natural Resources Management in the National Park Service. During her career she discovered

Sandra Weber: Doing A Job You Love

In college Sandra Weber decided to major in a subject she loved--history. Following her passions and gifts led to a job at the Clara Barton National Historic Site, the fi

Flo Six Townsend: Paying it forward

Do you realize how many people it takes to make the National Park System work? Many are like Flo Six Townsend, who found her Park Service passion in career development an

Dick Martin: My Role Was To Listen

Dick Martin served as the second superintendent Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska between 1985 and 1990. The assignment, in hold interviewer Alison

Wendy Lauritzen Developing A Career

How do you build a successful career in the National Park Service? In this installment of Centennial Voices, Wendy Lauritzen describes how she combined careful planning,

Ed Rizzotto: The Importance of Urban Parks

In 1988 Ed Rizzotto began working at Gateway National Recreation Area in New York City. During his seven years at Gateway helped him recognize the unique role that urban

Anne and Scott Warner: Seasonal Rangers

Anne and Scott Warner share their stories as seasonal park rangers who began mid-life careers with the National Park Service. They've worked from Maine to Nevada and Loui

J.D. Swed: Dealing with Death

J.D. Swed shares some of his experiences as a search and rescue ranger in the parks. He discusses how he learned to deal with death and helped others to do the same.

Diane and Dan Moses: Raising Kids in the Parks

Diane and Dan Moses share what it was like to raise two daughters while living and working in the national parks. Listen along as they tell their stories of giving birth

John Reynolds: Growing Up in the Parks

John Reynolds tells us what it was like to grow up in our national parks as the son of a park ranger. Listen as he shares childhood memories from Yellowstone and Theodore

Bill Wade: Calling a national park home

What's it like to grow up in a national park? Retired NPS superintendent Bill Wade will tell you.

Laurel Boyers, NPS wilderness ranger

In the 1970s Laurel Munson Boyers was among a pioneering generation of women who assumed new roles in the National Park Service. Listen to Boyers describe one frightful n

Ranger JD Swed, a flathat, and a horse

In this segment of "Centennial Voices," we hear how a disciplined mentor and a balky horse teach a seasonal National Park Service ranger the importance of his image as we

Retired NPS Ranger JD Swed on family and work

Retired Park Ranger J. D. Swed talks about how family life and work are inter-related in the National Park Service. Thanks to Nolan Edmondson, NPS volunteer, for audio pr

Retired NPS park ranger Butch Farabee

Butch Farabee was a revered National Park Service ranger who excelled in search and rescue. During a interview conducted in 2012 at the Association of National Park Range